Take a bite out of Minneapolis

God Bless America pulsates from speakers as the crowds at Bloomington’s Normandale Lake gaze upward and bask in balmy temperatures, the atmosphere interrupted only by the occasional nip from a hovering mosquito.

With my glow sticks and a stars and stripes baseball cap, I’m about one Star-Spangled Banner away from signing up for a Green Card.

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Spangled with stars: Aoife celebrates Independence Day

Every time I visit the US I find a new interpretation of this vast country’s identity.

But Minnesota is the closest I’ve come to true Americana.

Grab me a root beer and a corn dog, I’m off to hammer up some drywall.

Sure, I’ve fallen headlong into cliché, but there’s a tangible magic in middle America – shopping in the mall, eating cheese curds and Juicy Lucy burgers, being greeted by smiling restaurant staff entreating me to “have a nice day” and of course, Independence Day celebrations.

Packed into the natural amphitheatre that is Normandale Lake, listening to an excellent band and eyeballing a stellar 35-minute fireworks display, I finally experienced America's national holiday through the eyes of locals.

And I loved every magical minute.

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Lady Luck smiled on me as our visit coincided with the celebration courtesy of Aer Lingus which commenced its new route from Dublin to the twin cities of Minneapolis-St Paul on July 1.

The eight-hour flight lands just in time for dinner and an early bedtime to beat the jetlag.

And if you’re feeling spendy, the business class upgrade is worth it for the lie-flat seats alone.

On arrival, (through the domestic terminal as you'll have pre-cleared US immigration in Dublin) it’s immediately clear that the Twin Cities have under-sold themselves.

There are in fact three cities – Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington – arranged in a triangle 10 miles apart and interwoven by the mighty Mississippi.

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Minneapolis: the mighty Mississippi runs through the city

Our home is the sleek Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bloomington near the airport and linked to Minneapolis by light rail.

If you're looking to immerse yourself in the fabric of a community, consider Bloomington as your base, and if you're not keen on hiring a car you can easily make your way in to Minneapolis or St Paul by rail or bus.

But that’s not why people gravitate towards this particular part of Minnesota. Oh no.

There’s the not-so-small matter of the Mall of America, the country’s largest shopping and entertainment complex with more than 520 shops, 50 restaurants, a SeaLife Aquarium and the 4D Fly Over America Experience.

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Shop 'til you drop: the Mall of AmericaCredit: Yes

However, its real USP is Nickelodeon Universe – the world’s largest indoor theme park – perched right in the centre of the mall.

The clever positioning means parents can leave their kids - or partners - to enjoy all the rides and rollercoasters, and easily check on them every few minutes.

Or, if your sense of direction is as poor as mine, you'll appreciate the fact that no matter where you wander, you're always only a few steps from the theme park and the opportunity to re-orientate yourself.

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Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America

You’ll recognise all the big names like Macys, Nordstrom and Nike, but the mall is also home to Khloe Kardashian’s Good American, the Boots-esque Ulta and the bargain mecca DSW Shoes.

And yes, that’s as much ground as I covered during a frantic 90-minute shop sweep that would have Dale Winton turning in his grave.

For my efforts, I was rewarded with 75pc-off trousers from Anthropologie.

The mall is a short drive from Paisley Park, the recording studio and estate of Minnesota’s most famous son, Prince.

The enigmatic artist died here in April 2016, and his wish to see the space turned into a museum has now been fulfilled.

The enigmatic artist died here in April 2016, and his wish to see the space turned into a museum has now been fulfilled.

If you’re the nosy type – and I am – the tour might leave you with more questions than answers as the focus is very much on his career rather than his early years and private life.

And I suppose that's exactly how it should be, as in death he remains shrouded in the same mystery that cloaked his life.

Thankfully, there are any number of musical toys and memorabilia to give die-hard music fans the shivers.

You'll see beautifully crafted guitars, a grand piano that's worth more than the average house, platinum records and rooms packed with memorabilia from the star's films and concerts.

The one snag? Photography isn’t allowed. And these days, if you didn't catch it on camera, did it even happen?

Fear not, you can still prove to the world that you've seen it all, by getting your photographic Prince fix over at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.

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the view of the State Capitol Building from the Minnesota History Center

It houses a brilliant exhibition highlighting the region’s musical tradition, much of which centred around the legendary First Avenue venue in downtown Minneapolis.

In fact, this unassuming building is also worth a visit, not least for its star-covered wall which proudly announces the acts that have graced its stage.

You might even recognise a few of our own, including U2.

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Starry-eyed: the walls of First Avenue display the names of the artists who have performed there.

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Prince's First Avenue star is painted a distinctive gold

Of course, First Avenue has also played host to another great Minnesotan - Bob Dylan.

The college drop-out, who grew up in Duluth, spent his formative years in the city and it pays homage to him with a stunning mural at the corner of Hennepin and 5th Street.

Dylan's musical legacy is also touched upon at the Minnesota History Center.

You might also recognise parts of the building from the film Purple Rain as some scenes were shot here.

That gives it a fair licence to display the Artist's iconic violet silk coat costume from the movie.

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Aoife sizes up Prince's Purple Rain costume

The requisite photographs achieved, we took an envy-inducing drive past the mansions of Summit Avenue.

Mind you, it's somewhat less annoying than doing a similar drive in Dublin's millionaire row, as €2m goes far further on Summit Avenue than it would back home.

At first glance, there’s nothing remarkable about the row house at number 599, but it’s where F Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby.

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The plaque outside the Summit Avenue home of F Scott Fitzgerald in St Paul

By now, we’ve sensed the grandeur of St. Paul’s, augmented by the astonishingly beautiful cathedral and State Capitol Building.

It's also worth a peak inside the Landmark Center, its exterior fairytale beauty matched by an interior that speaks of a rich history courtesy of its past life as a post office and court house.

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The fairytale-esque Landmark Center in St Paul

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Inside St Paul's Landmark Center

But all the refined elegance of St. Paul is wonderfully juxtaposed by a casual vibe, which we embrace on a visit to the spit n’ sawdust-style Shamrocks Grill.

The signature dish is a Juicy Lucy medium-cooked burger stuffed with melted cheese, definitely not first date material.

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Aoife tackles a Juicy Lucy burger in Shamrocks Grill

Because we’re tourists and on a mission, we also order a portion of cheese curds.

These little pellets of mass destruction are to be avoided at all costs, if you’re worried about your cholesterol, but then who is when on holiday?

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Cheesy does it: cheese curds are a Minnesotan speciality

Deep-fried, glazed with honey, drizzled with bacon bits or whatever you’re having yourself, cheese curds are a Minnesotan speciality and every restaurant offers its own version.

The only thing they all have in common is that they’re fiendishly addictive.

To my shame, I took the job of sampling so seriously that those cut-price trousers don’t fit me any more.

Foodies should also check out Keg and Case Market where you can take your pick from the gourmet food stalls and craft beer brewers.

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Gourmet food stalls and beer stands line the Keg and Case Market

Despite forecasts of rain (purple or otherwise), the sun smiled on us so we went the full Huck Finn with an authentic paddle steamer cruise on the Mississippi.

Feeling as if I'd stepped into the pages of an all-American coming-of-age novel, I grabbed a perch up front, hydrated with a mango beer from the on-board bar and spent 90 glorious minutes trying in vain to identify various wildlife while rubber-necking at the gorgeous houses on each bank.

Hot tip: don't forget the sunscreen.

It might feel nicely cool when you're cruising along with the wind in your hair, but this is a minimum factor 30 affair thanks to the sun's rays bouncing off the river.

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All aboard: Aoife takes a cruise down the Mississippi

Water is also the theme at the Mill City Museum, built into the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill.

It's here that I finally get to the origins of the name Minneapolis. (Hint: it's got nothing to do with size or apples).

As early settlers chose the site for the waterfall on the river, they called it the city of the waterfall, using the Dakota word for waterfall "minnehaha" and the Greek word for city "polis".

Over time, it was condensed to its current iteration.

It's fitting that this particular history lesson takes place at the Mill City Museum, as its perch directly beside the waterfall vividly illustrates how the Mississippi spawned a powerful industry.

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Flour power: view of the Mill City Museum

The flour production may have long since halted, but it’s clear the river is still the heartbeat of the Twin Cities.

In fact, the water is hard to avoid here.

The following day, we hire pedal boats and explore Lake Bde Maka Ska, one of several lakes bordering the metropolis.

You can of course opt for more adventurous water pursuits such as paddle boarding, but after a hearty French-style lunch at Barbette, the pedal boats suited our energy levels.

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Communal dining in the relaxed atmosphere of Barbette restaurantCredit: Barbette

Speaking of energy, there’s no better place to get a buzz than at the nearby Bakken Museum.

If you have kids, this is a must.

But even big kids will love this beautiful space and its interactive displays where you can take part in static electricity experiments.